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Thursday, 22 November 2012

Munich, Germany

When visiting Munich, my German friend said to me 'I want you to see Munich as a large village, not as a small city', and he was right. Munich, although being Germany's third largest city, it lacks the skyscrapers and city feel that you would expect. Instead, Munich offers a more cosy yet medieval atmosphere with its gothic churches and weekly markets. To reflect this, it has been nicknamed 'Toy town' by the English, because of its safety and quality of life, and 'Millionendorf' by the Germans, meaning 'village of a million people'.

I found the people of Munich to be friendly and outgoing, and also noted the large amount that spoke English, making it easier to get by there. As well as the people, I also found the scenery itself to be rather charming; whether it was stroll through the Olympic Park, or a wander around the city, there were plenty of landmarks to catch your eye. It also worth noting that, although it may not look so, Munich is a very modern city with host of museums, restaurants, shops and bars, as well as many other things to see and do.

Due to its location, it is quite possible to go skiing in the Alps, or even hiking along the many mountains near by. The Bavarian capital is also quite close to Dachau, home of the infamous concentration camp, and hohenschwangau, a small Bavarian village which boasts Neuschwanstein Castle (Cinderella's Castle), as well as many, many tourists!!

Munich is definitely a place to visit if you want a quaint village atmosphere with all the perks of a city, world class museums as well as the chance to do some hiking, and grand Gothic architecture wiv a slight Bavarian twist.